Skin nontumor
Keratinization disorders
Ichthyosis
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Last staff update: 18 November 2020
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PubMed Search: Ichthyosis [title] skin
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Clinical features | Clinical images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Additional referencesCite this page: Hamodat M. Ichthyosis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/skinnontumorichthyosis.html. Accessed September 22nd, 2023.
Definition / general
- Disorder of epidermal maturation in which skin resembles fish scales
- Associated with excessive keratin buildup due to a desquamation defect, leading to retention of abnormally formed scale
- Usually apparent at birth
- In adults, is associated with malignancies (lymphoma, carcinoma of bronchus, breast and cervix), sarcoidosis, lupus and drugs
- Ichthyosis vulgaris: common type
- Lamellar ichthyosis: rare inherited skin condition of newborn with shedding of plate-like layers of skin
- X linked variant: deficiency in steroid sulfatase, which removes proadhesive cholesterol sulfate from intracellular spaces
Clinical features
- Skin resembles fish scales; rough scaly patches and plaques
Clinical images
Images hosted on other servers:
Lamellar ichthyosis
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Increased stratum corneum with loss of normal basket weave pattern, minimal inflammation
- Loss of granular layer in ichthyosis vulgaris
Additional references
